Private The Quiet Strength of True Friendship

[Balun Dashiell]

THE QUIET STRENGTH OF TRUE FRIENDSHIP
Location: Balun Dashiell's Cottage, The Dashiell Estate on Joiol
Present Company: Kellan Dashiell & Vesha Daruun (x)
Tags: Iona Starchaser

It had been just over a week since Balun Dashiell returned home to Joiol, fresh from a business trip to the Retrofit Orbital Foundry above Kesh. The visit had brought more than just progress reports and shipyard inspections—it had introduced him to his latest acquisition from Sasori Industries: a custom-built Dashiell Caretaker Droid. Recommended by his brother Makai, the droid had been designed to assist Balun in his new role as a single father. The model was unlike anything he'd worked with before—a biot, eerily lifelike, and adapted for the delicate task of childcare. For a man whose only experience with children came from sparring beside younglings at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, the help was necessary... if not a little unnerving.

He'd returned home with both Kellan and the droid in tow, unsure how to even begin explaining her presence to his father—especially since the biot's appearance mimicked that of a Zabrak woman, gentle but firm in demeanor. Eventually, someone in the family was going to ask questions. Who was she? Where had they met? What was her story? He'd need a cover—perhaps a falsified identity, something clean and believable. Someone in the underground surely owed him a favor.

But that was only one part of his hesitation. Trust didn't come easily, especially when it concerned his son's safety. Despite knowing she was a droid, Balun couldn't help but study her with the same wary curiosity he might give a stranger. She looked sentient. Moved with intent. It was easy to forget she was a machine—he often spoke to her like she was a real person, which, he supposed, would make things easier in front of the family. Still, entrusting her with Kellan's care felt like a leap he wasn't quite ready for.

He decided to take it slow.

The early days at home were spent getting to know the biot. Sharing stories with her—about Kellan, about his own life, and about the boy's mother. He called her Vesha Daruun, a name that made her feel less like a tool and more like a partner in raising his son. Whether it was sentimentality or simply coping, it helped.

Eventually, though, Balun realized he needed a moment for himself. There was someone he had been meaning to reach out to for some time—someone whose presence at the Jedi Conclave on Crait had been a comforting reminder of his past. Iona Starchaser. She had invited him, after all. He respected her deeply, not just for her skill and presence, but for the rare feeling of camaraderie she offered him—something he'd found himself missing since things with Nouqai had quietly unraveled.

Balun didn't have many friends these days. Family, yes. Allies, perhaps. But true friends? That list had grown short. And he'd neglected Iona—whether out of busyness, uncertainty, or just the everyday chaos of parenting. So he sent her a message, inviting her to his home on Joiol. He wanted her to meet Kellan. He wanted her opinion on Vesha, and whether the illusion of her humanity held up. More than that, he wanted to hear about the state of the Galaxy—from someone still in the thick of it—because Balun Dashiell had never felt more distant from the galaxy he once knew.

"Speech".
'Thought'.

 

[Iona Starchaser]

Location : Tirtha Cove, Joiol | Weapons : Force Pike | Interacting With : Balun Dashiell , Kellan Dashiell
​

When Iona landed, she didn't expect such a grandiose scene. Expansive, well manicured lawns. A private beach. Vineyards and rolling farmlands. From her research on the way over, Joiol was a sleepy agricultural planet with various foodstuffs of note. Yet while reading on the flight over she didn't think she would be landing inside an estate with someone only deep pockets could afford.

The irony of being a Starchaser and thinking this was not lost on her. Starchasers were quite wealthy due to their exploration and shipwright expertise. Her own father was a whiz mechanic who used the Starchaser name to his advantage. She grew up comfortable, able to focus on her education at the Enclave, the university tuition of her older siblings paid by their parents. By all accounts, she was rich by Tingel Arm and Outer Rim standards.

This. This was an entirely different type of rich.

Balun had told her to land at the landing pads and follow the trail to the forest, which would dead-end to a stone cabin. She walked along the path, taking in the sounds and sights. There was no reason to be on edge, Balun was her friend. Nothing was kicking off her instincts that she was in danger. Still, it was odd. Last time she saw him wasn't it that Nest thing? Possibly.

Reaching the cabin, Iona lifted a pale green hand, rapping on the door.

 

[Balun Dashiell]

THE QUIET STRENGTH OF TRUE FRIENDSHIP
Location: Balun Dashiell's Cottage, The Dashiell Estate on Joiol
Present Company: Kellan Dashiell & Vesha Daruun (x)
Tags: Iona Starchaser

It felt like far too long since Balun Dashiell and Iona Starchaser had the luxury of simply being in each other's company without the weight of a mission briefing or the rigid formality of a Jedi conclave hanging over their heads. Their time together had always seemed framed by duty—rarely by ease. That's what made the quiet of Balun's cottage such a rare kind of sacred. Surrounded by lush forest and filtered golden light, it offered something almost forgotten in a galaxy like theirs: peace.

Peace, of course, with the notable exception of Kellan.

The boy had his own rules—waking for food, crying out when something didn't sit right, grumbling when in need of changing, or simply fussing for the warmth of his father's arms. His presence brought a rhythm to the cottage, one driven not by the galaxy's chaos, but by the small, relentless needs of a baby boy. In its own way, it made the place feel more alive. And between the soft creaks of wood, the hush of leaves brushing the windows, and the gentle weight of fatherhood, Balun's home had become the perfect setting for a long-overdue catch-up. There was even a hidden training course beyond the treeline, camouflaged in the undergrowth and winding paths—a nostalgic touch in case the forest walk grew dull.

When the knock came at the door, Balun already knew who stood beyond it. He didn't need to check. He felt her—her presence familiar in the Force like an old friend stepping back into his life. Kellan rested easily in the crook of his left arm, freshly fed and gazing upward with sleepy curiosity, his small features quietly absorbing the world from the safety of his father's embrace.

Balun shifted his weight, one hand on the door handle, the other gently cradling his son. A soft smile curled at his lips as the door swung open, revealing Iona Starchaser just as he remembered her.

"Took you long enough," he said, grinning, a teasing lilt to his voice as his eyes locked with hers. "Get lost on the way?"

The joke landed exactly where it was meant to—light, familiar, easy.

Before she could shoot back a retort, he raised a hand in mock surrender, chuckling.

"Sorry, I figured I'd get a jab in before you started in on me for this little one here," he said, nodding down toward Kellan with a smirk that was equal parts proud and self-deprecating. The look in his eyes said it all—he expected something snarky. Something classic Iona.

He stepped back to let her in. "Come on in. I swear he's the only serious surprise. Well—him and his caretaker droid."

He made sure to stress the word droid, just in case Iona's mind leapt to any conclusions about the elegant Zabraki woman who might be found tending to his son's play room. Her name was Vesha Daruun, but Balun figured he'd wait to explain that part.

For now, the threshold between them was crossed, and for the first time in a long time, it felt like something normal—something warm—was returning to Balun's life.

"Speech".
'Thought'.

 

[Iona Starchaser]

Location : Tirtha Cove, Joiol | Weapons : Force Pike | Interacting With : Balun Dashiell
​

"Took you long enough," he said, grinning, a teasing lilt to his voice as his eyes locked with hers. "Get lost on the way?"

"Not quite, I was worried about stepping off the path and into the lawns. They look as if their upkeep costs more than some Hutts bring in yearly. Don't need to resort to a life of crime to pay for a bent blade."

Iona just as easily joked back, but it was partially true. She had been worried about looking out of sorts. Worried about some security protocol coming to take her down as if she wasn't allowed in the same space. The Mirialan didn't have a fancy upbringing and wasn't quite sure of any protocols or unwritten rules she was ignorant of.

Crossing the threshold, she closed the door behind her, looking at the small boy in Balun's arms. Eyes flicked between the sleepy infant and back to Balun several times, trying to gauge if he was the father or if this was some orphan. With the refugee crisis, it wasn't unusual to come across small children thrust into the arms of others at the chance for a better life. Considering she could feel his Force presence, it wasn't out of the realm of possibility.

"So he's yours? Biologically?" A small pause as she looked around, stretching out with the Force, but not finding another sentient signature. "Where's the boys mother?"

Brimming with questions, she was trying to temper them from spilling all at once.

"Can I hold him?"

​

 

[Balun Dashiell]

THE QUIET STRENGTH OF TRUE FRIENDSHIP
Location: Balun Dashiell's Cottage, The Dashiell Estate on Joiol
Present Company: Kellan Dashiell & Vesha Daruun (x)
Tags: Iona Starchaser

Balun snorted a laugh, the sound escaping before he could suppress it, his head shaking with amused self-awareness.

"Yeah, I probably should've mentioned the landing pads near the cottage," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck with a sheepish grin. "They're tucked away beneath the treeline, camouflaged. Closer, quieter… but kind of easy to miss unless you know where to look." His gaze flicked toward the forest beyond the windows, voice dipping into a more thoughtful tone. "My brother's been tightening up security lately."

He chuckled again, partly at himself for the oversight, partly in that way someone does when they're still adjusting to the idea of being responsible for others.

Iona, naturally, had questions—she always did—but before she could launch into them, she surprised him by asking the last thing he expected: to hold Kellan.

His brow arched, then softened with a small, appreciative smile. "Yeah, of course," he said warmly, voice low as he carefully adjusted the small bundle in his arms. He supported Kellan's head and lower back with practised hands, movements gentle and sure, before passing him into Iona's arms with a reverence that never quite seemed to fade, no matter how many times he held his son.

With his arms now free, Balun gestured for her to follow as he stepped into the main living space. The room was cozy and well-lived-in, lined with soft couches arranged around a large stone hearth, the centrepiece of the cottage. Windows lined the outer walls, giving panoramic views of the surrounding forest and letting natural light pool across polished wood floors. The gentle hush of the trees outside mingled with the warmth of the fire crackling quietly in the hearth.

Almost on cue, footsteps approached from deeper inside the house.

Vesha Daruun emerged into the room with quiet, measured grace. Her form was draped in elegant, utilitarian robes tailored to her Zabraki appearance, the illusion of life in every detail—from the way her head tilted slightly in observation to the warmth she infused into her voice. Her eyes settled first on Iona Starchaser , or rather, on the bundle nestled in Iona's arms.

"Greetings, Lady Starchaser," Vesha said politely, her voice smooth and even-toned. "My name is Vesha. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Balun chuckled to himself as he dropped into one of the deep couches with a soft sigh, legs stretching out, one arm slung along the backrest.

"Vesha's Kellan's nanny—his caretaker when I'm not around," he explained, glancing over at the two women and the baby between them. "Though, truthfully, that's not often. I tend to take him with me, even on business runs when I can get away with it. But… having help is more than just handy."

His gaze lingered on his son for a heartbeat before shifting back to Iona.

"As for his mother…" His expression turned more serious, and his voice dipped into something quieter. "That's... complicated. It's Nouqai—only she goes by Falentra now. Full-fledged Sith Knight. Last time we met…" He paused, letting the memory flash across his mind like a wound reopening. "She forced a fight. I let her go, but… she wasn't in good shape."

He rubbed his hands together absently, the movement slow and thoughtful.

"So yeah," he added, lifting his eyes to meet hers again. "The bump in security? That's… My fault?"

"Speech".
'Thought'.

 

[Iona Starchaser]

Location : Tirtha Cove, Joiol | Weapons : Force Pike | Interacting With : Balun Dashiell

​

Iona settled in with young Kellan in her arms, the boy nestled against her, looking quite curiously up at her. The Mirialan could tell the boy was debating on crying out or continue to take her in. For now, it looked as if the infant decided to take her in and stare, his little hand curling around hers for now.

"Just call me Iona, Miss Vesha. A pleasure to meet you as well."

"As for his mother…" His expression turned more serious, and his voice dipped into something quieter. "That's... complicated. It's Nouqai—only she goes by Falentra now. Full-fledged Sith Knight. Last time we met…" He paused, letting the memory flash across his mind like a wound reopening. "She forced a fight. I let her go, but… she wasn't in good shape."

Iona blinked.

"You have a type. That type is crazy Sith women. I would advise celibacy for the next several years while you evaluate the root cause of that. Cause it seems your brother will have to put this place entirely under lockdown. I really dodged a bullet myself, I kinda had a crush on you when we first met but...I don't need a Sith after me because I looked twice."

A crush she had gotten over. It was clear she wasn't Balun's type anyway.

"So you wounded your son's mother and have no idea where she is. Got it....sounds like a recipe for disaster."

 

[Balun Dashiell]

THE QUIET STRENGTH OF TRUE FRIENDSHIP
Location: Balun Dashiell's Cottage, The Dashiell Estate on Joiol
Present Company: Kellan Dashiell & Vesha Daruun (x)
Tags: Iona Starchaser​

"Wait—what?"

Balun's voice shot out, abrupt and incredulous, as he jerked upright from the comfort of the couch. His eyes snapped to Iona Starchaser, scanning her face as if searching for a punchline, a hint of sarcasm—anything to suggest he'd misheard.

But she wasn't joking.

For a moment, he could only stare, the breath caught somewhere between his lungs and the words forming in his mind. Of all the things he'd expected from her visit, this wasn't even on the list.

Back when they'd spent more time together—back when Liberty's Edge was still gliding through the stars and she was more than just a voice over comms—he'd wondered. There had been glances, shared silences that lingered longer than they needed to. But he'd convinced himself it was nothing. That maybe he was reading too far into things, wanting something that simply wasn't there.

And then came the sting.

Her words from back then echoed through his mind, still razor sharp: too aggressive… too entangled in the war… She hadn't been wrong. But it had landed like a judgment he could never quite escape. He'd always cared too much about what she thought—valued her opinion far more than he liked to admit—and ever since, it had felt like he never quite measured up in her eyes.

"Well… chit," he muttered under his breath, his tone a mix of surprise and rueful amusement. His expression darkened slightly, lips pressed in a thoughtful frown as his gaze drifted across the room, revisiting the memories he hadn't dusted off in a long time.

He remembered her first step onto his ship—After literally tripping over one of his droids and cursing up a storm. She'd come aboard as a stranger, both of them just two wayward souls pulled together by the chaos of the galaxy. He'd kept his distance at first, cautious not to overstep, not to be just another man with ulterior motives. Iona had been guarded, and Balun had done his best to be steady, respectful, and careful. If nothing else, he'd wanted to be someone she could trust.

"You should've said something back then," he said finally, his voice softer now, almost regretful. "I didn't think you were happy with me."

Then, with a humour-tinged sigh, he lifted one hand and gave her a lazy wave, as if gesturing to the wreckage of his love life.

"Guess you really did dodge a blaster bolt there, huh?" he quipped dryly.

He hesitated, then glanced at her sideways, his voice dropping into something quieter. More vulnerable.

"In my defence… she had been a Jedi before turning Sith. We'd trained together for years. There was something real, once."

He trailed off, the rest dying in the back of his throat before he could make excuses he no longer believed in.

A breath passed.

"But yeah," he added, exhaling with the weight of self-awareness. "I'm a complete idiot. I know."

"Speech".
'Thought'.

 

[Iona Starchaser]

Location : Tirtha Cove, Joiol | Weapons : Force Pike | Interacting With : Balun Dashiell
​

Iona shrugged a little. The infant boy jostled a little but didn't say make a peep. If anything, he was settling in close to her for warmth, eyes slowly drooping. Kellan did look sleepy when she had first knocked on the door. Balun seemed shocked, which surprised her slightly.

"Its alright. I said I had the crush but you joined the war-mongering Tingel Arm Collation and it really threw a lot of cold water on how cute I thought you were. That's okay. We're still friends. It was just a moment of weakness on my end. Don't worry, it won't be happening again."

"But yeah," he added, exhaling with the weight of self-awareness. "I'm a complete idiot. I know."

"Not an idiot." Iona paused a long moment. "More like a dumbass."

She was skeptical of the story. That the person was once good. It happened. It just seemed odd. Balun knocked up the poor girl and she turned to the Dark Side? Iona had no desire for details but it seemed this was the case. Yet what was done was done. She wasn't going to continually harass her friend over it.

"So what are you doing now? Becoming a hermit in the woods?'

 

[Balun Dashiell]

THE QUIET STRENGTH OF TRUE FRIENDSHIP
Location: Balun Dashiell's Cottage, The Dashiell Estate on Joiol
Present Company: Kellan Dashiell & Vesha Daruun (x)
Tags: Iona Starchaser​

'Ah, yes...the warmongering Tingel Arm Coalition', Balun mused bitterly, though he kept the thought sealed behind a composed expression. 'Never mind that the Imperials were crushing innocent systems under their heel, or that we were the only ones willing to push back when no one else would'.

There was a quiet sting in how Iona had chosen to frame it. Their rebellion—his cause—had never been about conquest or thirst for battle. It had been about freedom, about clawing back hope from the void. He still remembered the faces of the fallen—friends, mentors, brothers and sisters-in-arms who had paid the price for standing up. He had bled beside them, risked everything because he'd believed in something larger than himself.

But clearly, not everyone had seen it that way.

"You never did mince your words," he said instead, a faint smile ghosting across his lips, the tone light but edged with restraint. There was no use picking that wound open further. The past was a battlefield all its own, and some skirmishes weren't worth re-fighting.

It was a shame, though. Truly.

When she turned the conversation toward the future, Balun welcomed it, even if it forced him to examine things he wasn't fully ready to say aloud. That was the million-credit question, wasn't it? What now?

He let out a quiet breath, the weight of that answer folding over him like a cloak.

"Kellan comes first. Before anything and everything else," he said plainly, the certainty in his voice unshakable. "But no..." he added, casting a dry look in Iona's direction, "...I don't plan on becoming a hermit."

His tone was pointed, a subtle jab in reply to her earlier sarcasm, though his lips twitched with quiet amusement. He wasn't so fragile as to crawl into exile over a broken heart, even if it had changed him more than he cared to admit.

"You haven't met my family yet, but… since I've come to live with them, things have changed. My father, he's taught me a lot. I've started my own company, focused on technology retrofitting." He gave a small shrug, the modesty in the gesture undercut by the quiet pride in his voice. "The credits are steady. More than enough to take care of Kellan's needs, now and in the future."

His eyes flicked toward the window, where the edge of the forest could just be seen. It was peaceful now, but there was purpose in those woods.

"When he's of age, I'll train him in the Force," Balun continued. "I've already set up a course out in the forest. For him... and for myself."

He didn't elaborate. Some things didn't need explaining—especially to someone who had lived and breathed the same life for so long.

"And yes," he added quickly, raising a finger before Iona could cut in, "I know it won't be as easy as I'm making it sound."

He shot her a knowing look, already bracing for the sharp sarcasm or dry observation she was famous for.

"I've got my hands full," he admitted, his voice softening, "but my priorities aren't what they used to be. A lot's changed since the last time we flew together."

There was a hint of something unspoken in his tone—grief, perhaps, or simply the weight of evolution. But beneath it all, there was resilience.

"Speech".
'Thought'.

 

[Iona Starchaser]

Location : | Weapons : Force Pike | Interacting With : Balun Dashiell
​

Kellan was falling asleep in her arms, nuzzling closer into her body. His breathing was slowly evening out,a sign he was starting to drift off. Seemed she had a small knack to at least not make an infant cry. The youngest of her siblings, Iona didn't have too much experience with babies, but she had been out with refugees and orphaned children as of late.

"Your own business? That's great Bale." Pride entered her voice, happy to see her friend succeeding in some aspects of his life. "Your father must own his own business then? Or be in some type of business adjacent industry?"

"I've got my hands full," he admitted, his voice softening, "but my priorities aren't what they used to be. A lot's changed since the last time we flew together."

"A subtle way of telling me you won't have time to be friends? Thats fine, Balun. I'll still be around once Kellan is old enough not to rely on you completely. I'm still doing quite a bit of learning myself, don't worry I won't hold anything against you. You've got your hands full. First being a father then being his instructor. Quite a balance to strike."

 

[Balun Dashiell]

THE QUIET STRENGTH OF TRUE FRIENDSHIP
Location: Balun Dashiell's Cottage, The Dashiell Estate on Joiol
Present Company: Kellan Dashiell & Vesha Daruun (x)
Tags: Iona Starchaser​

Balun cast Iona a sideways look, eyes widening slightly in disbelief at her interpretation. That's what she thought he meant? Of all the things he'd been trying to say, the idea that he wouldn't make time for her hadn't even crossed his mind. But then again… this was Iona Starchaser . It wouldn't be the first time she'd said something deliberately off-kilter just to see if she could rattle him.

His brows knit together, a faint frown forming—not out of frustration, but confusion—and his posture eased, shoulders dipping into something looser, more casual. He let out a short chuckle, dry and under his breath.

"It's honestly hard to tell when you're being serious or just trying to get under my skin," he said, his voice carrying a touch of amusement, but also an unspoken question. "You do know that, right?"

He gave her a look—not annoyed, just honest—before the edge of a smile tugged at his lips.

"I don't know how obvious it is, but outside of my family… I'm not exactly someone who makes friends easily," he admitted, the weight of the confession softening his tone. He wasn't fishing for sympathy—just stating a truth he rarely said out loud. "And if I had it my way, we'd have spent a lot more time together than we have."

His gaze drifted as he spoke, eyes settling on some distant point in the room, perhaps on the edge of a memory. "Our time aboard Liberty's Edge didn't last nearly as long as I'd hoped. Back then, it felt like we were just getting started—like maybe we could've carved something out for ourselves. A crew. A direction. But… I got it. You had your reasons."

There was no bitterness in his voice. Just a quiet acceptance, laced with the wistfulness of what might have been.

"In fact," he added with a chuckle, "I only recently took an interest in the Foundation because I thought it might be a way to catch up with you. And then that Conclave…" He trailed off, shaking his head. "Yeah. Definitely not my scene."

He turned back to face her fully then, no sarcasm, no evasion—just plain honesty.

"So no," Balun said again, with more conviction this time. "If anything, I'd like to see more of you."

The words hung between them for a moment, unfiltered and sincere, before a flicker of self-awareness tugged at him.

"…S'long as you don't mind hanging around a dumbass like me," he added, half-smirking in self-deprecation.

But his eyes didn't waver. Whatever came next, he meant every word.

"Speech".
'Thought'.

 

[Iona Starchaser]

Location : Tirtha Cove, Joiol | Weapons : Force Pike | Interacting With : Balun Dashiell
​

"It's honestly hard to tell when you're being serious or just trying to get under my skin," he said, his voice carrying a touch of amusement, but also an unspoken question. "You do know that, right?"

"No, I don't." Iona blinked once, staring at Balun. "I thought you were giving some speech about fatherhood and leaving your old life behind. Meaning we wouldn't be in the same circles we are in now. Which, to some extent, is understandable. Disappointing, but understandable."

The Mirialan looked at Balun as if he was dense, she did just call him a dumbass. Gaze fell to Kellan. She would be silently praying for the boy that perhaps his ancestry had more braincells than was gifted to his father. Only time would tell. Iona hadn't met any other members of the family so it was difficult to tell.

His gaze drifted as he spoke, eyes settling on some distant point in the room, perhaps on the edge of a memory. "Our time aboard Liberty's Edge didn't last nearly as long as I'd hoped. Back then, it felt like we were just getting started—like maybe we could've carved something out for ourselves. A crew. A direction. But… I got it. You had your reasons."

Iona chose not to answer. Balun had made it clear back then the Tingel Arm Collation was important to him. It hadn't been to her. Still wasn't in fact. Much how Balun viewed the universe was the polar opposite of herself. Which was fine. Being similar was boring. However, when working as a crew, it was imperative to get along. They wouldn't have gotten along - too fundamental of differences.

"I can hang out with a dumbass like you. If anything Kellan will need someone with some sense."

 

[Balun Dashiell]

THE QUIET STRENGTH OF TRUE FRIENDSHIP
Location: Balun Dashiell's Cottage, The Dashiell Estate on Joiol
Present Company: Kellan Dashiell & Vesha Daruun (x)
Tags: Iona Starchaser​

Balun exhaled softly, the breath barely audible as he leaned back into the sofa, his shoulders sinking with the quiet weight of resignation. He didn't quite know how to respond to Iona. A part of him—perhaps the more rational part—was relieved she'd agreed to keep spending time with him. It meant the door wasn't fully closed. But another part, the part that always seemed to be reaching for something just out of his grasp, felt the familiar sting of disappointment.

Some things never change.

Despite everything, her opinion of him seemed frozen in place, as if the years, the growth, and the sacrifices hadn't mattered. It gnawed at him—this sense that he was still vying for her approval every time they shared the same room. And the worst part? She didn't even seem to notice. Or if she did, she wore her indifference like armor, untouched and unmoved.

He let his eyes drift toward the window where light filtered in through the leaves, softening the air around them.

"What's been going on with you lately, anyway?" he asked eventually, his voice lighter than his thoughts. It was the kind of question that might've come across as casual, but in truth, he was genuinely curious—hungry, even—to know more about what her life had become.

He knew about the flight she'd taken with her uncle and that odd group of strangers, and he remembered seeing her briefly at the Conclave. But beyond that? Silence. The kind that made old friends feel like passing acquaintances.

"Did you ever end up finding the Wardens of the Sky?" he added, eyes narrowing slightly with interest.

It was a name he'd come across recently during a late-night dive into holonet records—rumors of an old Republic remnant stirring somewhere between the Slice and the edges of Wild Space. Faint signals, abandoned listening posts, whispers of forgotten fleets. It was exactly the sort of thing he might chase if not tethered by Kellan and his newly grounded life. And truthfully, it was something he intended to investigate eventually.

But given Iona's sharp disapproval of his past allegiances—especially with the Tingel Arm Coalition—he kept that part to himself. No sense stirring old judgments.

Instead, he just watched her, letting the question hang in the air, quietly hoping her answer would draw back a curtain to the parts of her life he hadn't been allowed to see in a long time.

"Speech".
'Thought'.

 

[Iona Starchaser]

Location : Tirtha Cove, Joiol | Weapons : Force Pike | Interacting With : Balun Dashiell
​

"You don't find the Wardens, they find you. However, I have been training off and on with my cousin. Basically when she has the free time. I was raised in a Jal Shay Enclave and always wanted to follow that path further. Finding a mentor to instruct me one on one has been impossible. So I am merely forging my own path. Its not a popular one so I am not surprised. However, perhaps in a decade or so I will be able to pass on my knowledge. Start a small revival."

Shoulders shrugged slightly as the sleeping Kellan sighed, adjusting himself into a more comfortable position in her arms. Much of her time was spent alone in the hyperlanes helping others. Iona doubted it was the type of stories Balun wanted to hear. Especially given their fundamental differences on the Force and its role in the galaxy.

"When I am not training with Kaia, I am travelling the hyperlanes alone. Helping others. I've also done a lot of refugee work. Vaccination clinics. Food programs. Assisting the displaced find their next steps. There are decent programs out there but just making sure the vulnerable don't get taken advantage of."

She paused, thinking.

"I may return to my enclave for further academic instruction in the future, but I am needed elsewhere at the moment."

 

[Balun Dashiell]

THE QUIET STRENGTH OF TRUE FRIENDSHIP
Location: Balun Dashiell's Cottage, The Dashiell Estate on Joiol
Present Company: Kellan Dashiell & Vesha Daruun (x)
Tags: Iona Starchaser​

"Training with your cousin, huh?" Balun echoed with a soft smile, a genuine warmth lighting his features. He leaned forward slightly, elbows resting on his knees, clearly pleased by the news. "That must be good for you. I'm happy to hear it."

There was no envy in his tone, only a quiet, wistful note of longing that crept in at the edges of his voice.

"Having someone to guide you… it's a good feeling," he added, his gaze flicking briefly toward the floor as old memories stirred. "It's something I took for granted when the Jedi were raising me back on Coruscant. The structure, the mentorship—it just was, you know? I didn't realise what I had until it was gone."

His next words carried a faint bitterness, tempered with humor. "I'd kill for something like that now," he muttered, the figure of speech sharpened by the truth behind it. There was still a piece of him—wandering, unfinished—hungry for the kind of direction he used to resist.

When Iona spoke of her travels across the hyperlanes, Balun's smile returned, deeper this time, laced with recognition.

"That actually sounds a lot like my work as a Ranger," he said, his voice softening as he reflected. "More so back when I was part of the Tingel Arm's Aquilian Rangers. I didn't want to stay with the Jedi, not as a Knight—so I joined the Rangers instead. Special Forces. We often worked alone, out in the unknown, jumping from world to world, doing what we could where we could."

There was a light in his eyes as he spoke—not nostalgia, but a sense of pride, hard-earned and still burning somewhere deep inside. "I still try to help where I can, but… obviously things have changed. Kellan comes first now. And then there's Dashiell Retrofit—business, contracts, responsibilities. My time isn't what it used to be."

His smile turned thoughtful, tinged with admiration as he looked back to her.

"But that freedom… the ability to go where you're needed most, to choose your battles, to help without having to answer to some towering hierarchy—that's exactly what drew me to that kind of life. I get it. I really get it."

There was a pause, gentle and sincere.

"I'm sure you've already made a world of difference out there," he added, voice low but sure. "Even if you don't see it yet, someone does. Someone remembers."

And he meant that. Because Balun Dashiell knew better than most—the galaxy rarely thanked those who kept it stitched together. But he could see it in her: Iona was doing what mattered.

"Speech".
'Thought'.

 

[Iona Starchaser]

Location : Tirtha Cove, Joiol | Weapons : Force Pike | Interacting With : Balun Dashiell
​

Iona wasn't sure what to say. Some of Balun's words seemed part wistful rant, almost disappointed he couldn't come and go as he pleased. The other seemed to long for some sort of structure. She wasn't quite sure how her friend like to live his life but it seemed to her he was missing some type of hierarchy or rigid day structure.

Personally not her cup of tea, and Kaia was never that rigid, but each to their own. Perhaps it was because of a numerous different factors, including the fact he left the Jedi Temple at a young age. Plus not knowing his parentage seemed to have did a number on him, as it would anyone.

"Yes, I much prefer something where I am focused on the people and those who need me rather than pleasing a Jedi Knight who knows nothing about me. Its going well and thank you. I have no doubt I've made a difference to at least one sentient out there. Thats all any of us can do, try to change the universe with one small incremental change at a time."

She paused.

"So you plan on going back to the Jedi at some point? Leave this behind?"